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1994/03/152002/04/05

0001

ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD NOTES (Check one)

PUB. Living Lore in New England

TITLE Italian Cobbler, Beverly - #45

WRITER Merton R. Lovett

DATE 4/26/39 WDS. PP. 5

CHECKER DATE

SOURCES GIVEN (?) Interview

COMMENTS

4/26/39

[Music?]Paper No. 45

. . .

Interview

with

Vito Cacciola

. . .

by

Merton R. Lovett

. . .

“As well as remembered.”

. . .

0002

Interview with Vito Cacciola

by Merton R. Lovett

. . .

(from memory)

“No, Mr. Lovett, our little orchestra does not meeta regular no more. I am afraid it is about to busta up.

“For long time I hava vision of this disaster. The boys no longer shown de enthusiasm. They lacka de spirit.

“A boy who plays in de school orchestra wanta to lead always. He is too fond of Swing. He maka monkey business. Unfortunately he could not even reada de music with skill.

“Believa me it. One night we was playa de symphony, when de music arrive at rest place. But that dumba kept on waving his hands. When one of de boys saya to him, ‘There is a rest here,’ he replya, ‘Oh, is it?’

“You aska what boy was that? He is nam-ed Abba Fabri. It is his papa who maka me most angry.

“Sure, I will tella you why. That man is mucha stupid. About music he knowa lesser than I does about de styles of de women's hats.

“His son Abba, he taka some music lessons, but not froma me.

“No, it was not also from Mr. Green or Gordon [Jocylyn?]. He did not study with de good teacher. He taka his lessons by de class. Fifteen, twenty pupils study violin at same time.

00032

Each paya twenty-five cents. They wasta their money.

“Well, Mr. Fabri tella me that he is disgusted with his boy's music lessons. He saya, ‘Vito, I have spent-ed ten dollars to maka my son de musician. I will wasta no more. For ten dollars Abba should play lika de artist, or maybe lida [Heifitz?].’

“I saya, ‘Listen, what does you expect for ten dollars? Do you expects a professional for so little cost?’

“Then I maka to him a generous offer. I saya, ‘I will teacha Abba de violin good for fifty cents de lesson. For one year I will traina him.’ Then if de father is not satisfy-ed I will return to him all de money. Was not that de generous proposement, Mr. Lovett?

“No, I does not playa de violin myself. But I knowa music. I knowa all de technique of playing violin. I knowa time and harmony, By jingo, if de boy maka any mistake I can correct it.

“What does Mr. Fabri saya? Oh, My! He laugha, like this. Huh, huh, huh! It was most desulting. He does not understand that I have in my heart de talent for music.

00043

“Dear, dear, when he leaves he shruga his shoulders. Like this. His doubts hurta my feelings.

“No, his son will never be de fine musician. He has not de instruction. He will playa jazz and swinga it, but he cannot becoma professional. De violin will never earna him some money. To real musicians he will always be de pain in de neck.

“Yes, I lika to teach music to de boys. I lika even better to teacha them de good way to liva. I wish to maka plain for them de blessings of a pure heart. I believa it is more
presciouspresicious than great riches.

‘Sure, it is most terrible. De young boys sina much. It is because de men giva to them de bad example. They do not knowa de danger of sin. They have not been introduc-ed to de teachings of Jesus.

“Hollo, [Leonora?]. I am glada to see you.

“Excusa me, Mr. Lovett, I must talka de Italian.

“Leonora, she coma to America last year. She is one of de sweetest girls in Beverly. I am a friend to her father.

“[Uh?], she works in Bell's shoe factory. She is seventeen years of age.

00054

“Last week I visita her house. There I meeta again her younger brother, Anthony.

“He goes to school and learna much, but all that he learns is not good. My gracious, I must talka to him. HE hava that day de [wicked?] experience.

“It was lika this. After school he rida his bicycle to Beaver Pond. Before dark, he starta home, when in de trees, he seea de auto park-ed. Since he sees no driver, he thinka it is empty. He is fill-ed with curiosity. He drop-ed his bicycle and peeka inside.

“What did be finda? Oh [miserari!?] It was de great shame. Oh, Mr. Lovett, de whole story cannot be tolda.

“It was awful. In de back was two boys and two girls. They was making sin. They doa it like animals. Oh, dear! Oh, dear!

Anthony, he was innocent lika child. He aska me, ‘What does they do? Why does they seta so funny?’

“What could I tella to him? It was mosta difficult. My heart it was sick. I knowa what he sees will excita his immagination. Never will he forget.

“Sure, I talka to him. I try to explaina in simple 00065
words the danger of such evils. I tella him de rewards of virtue. I praya it will helpa.

“No, de Italian mother would not agree to teaching sex in de school. She trya to frighten de girls from such evil. She maka threats but the does not maka plain de temptation and de danger.

“De father he knocka Hell out of de girl that losa her virtue. Perhaps he kicka her out. De damage it is done already.

“Yes, in Italy de girls are sav-ed from sin. All de time they are watch-ed. They liva like prisoners. They are not permitt-ed to runa loose with de boys.

“It In different in America. De young people insista on liberty. They goa places togethers. They huga and kissa. They necka in automobiles. My jingo, their blood gets heat-ed. Who can tella then what will happen?

“Perhaps you is right. I thinka de Italian childrens grown old quick. Also, they isa most warm blood-ed. But if they hava de knowledge there will be no evils.”